Barrie's Store for Teachers and beyond - opened May '16
Average Rating4.42
(based on 32 reviews)
I will be posting imaginative, creative multi-media lessons using PowerPoint presentations with embedded videos, and supported with Word based worksheets and Kahoot quizzes where applicable.
I will be posting imaginative, creative multi-media lessons using PowerPoint presentations with embedded videos, and supported with Word based worksheets and Kahoot quizzes where applicable.
Click here for a full listing of all my Scratch Projects
In this project, the Scratch Pen is used to draw geometric shapes using Repeat blocks.
There are many sites offering Scratch Projects. However, many tend to be like recipes - students almost mechanically enter code and create “delicious cakes”, without learning a lot about Scratch.
My goal is to get students to create a fun project, and at the same time learn how the instructions work and fit together. I use the following approach:
- break the project into manageable chunks
- present “pseudo-code” for each chunk
- provide the Scratch commands to implement the pseudo-code, but jumbled up
In this way, students learn about pseudo-code (an important part of coding), and have to understand the Scratch instructions in order to sequence them correctly to match the pseudo-code.
The lessons comprise:
1. a PowerPoint with instructions
2. a Word document with the instruction slides printed 2 to a page as a handout
3. accompanying Scratch files for teachers that match each stage of the project
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested”, and continually updated. But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so please provide constructive feedback.
This PowerPoint illustrates the fairly well known "Stroop Effect".
Slides show color-words written in different colors and the task is to first read the word, and then to say the color.
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and a BIG BIG thanks for looking (as a full time practicing teacher, I KNOW how time consuming this process can be).
ALL my postings are FULLY "classroom-tested" - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximize their effectiveness.
But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.
Search words: starters, challenge, brain, stimulate, problem, mental, thinking, abstract
*** NEWLY UPDATED ***
Punctuation covered:
Capital letters and proper nouns
Capital letters and full stops (periods)*
- Punctuation - consolidation exercises
Sentence endings: exclamation marks and question marks
Commas*
- Punctuation - consolidation exercises
Apostrophes for contraction and omission*
Apostrophes for possession
Apostrophes - its and it’s
Direct speech - sentences
Direct speech - paragraphs
Indirect speech - sentences
Indirect speech - paragraphs
Parentheses - brackets*
Parentheses - dashes*
- Punctuation - consolidation exercises
Hyphens*
Semi colons*
Colons
Comma splices
- Punctuation - consolidation exercises
*includes entertaining video files
Having seen so, so many worksheets on punctuation, I finally decided to create this 25 page pack - based on cherry picking and then adapting the best ideas from countless text books and worksheets.
It covers a range of the punctuation used up to Year 6 and provides succinct definitions and plenty of varied practice for each topic.
Mastering punctuation is essentially practice, practice, practice… we all have able Year 6 children who simply forget basic capital letters and full stops (periods)! So these worksheets, a real labor of love, are designed to provide this essential practice.
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and a BIG BIG thanks for looking (as a full time practicing teacher, I KNOW how time consuming this process can be).
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested” - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximize their effectiveness.
But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.
Teacher/Author: Barrie James
Keywords: punctuation capital letters proper nouns periods exclamation marks question marks commas apostrophes contraction omission possession direct speech indirect speech parentheses brackets dashes hyphens semi-colon colon its it’s
These exercises challenge students to find better alternatives for the often over-used and unimaginative words: "very", "nice" and "said".
Fractions - love them or hate them, they're part of life!!
This resource uses the Tangram shapes to explore fractions and equivalence in a fun (yes!) and visual way. It can be used an an exploratory introduction to your fractions module.
Included is a Word document with 5 pages of investigations, an answer grid, a PowerPoint with various resources for you to adapt, and a downloaded youtube video ("A Sage's Journey The Story of Tangrams").
This is a series of 10 by 30-45 minute lessons looking at the inspiring and self-examining topic "Identity, Diversity, Stereotypes and Discrimination".
The lessons cover:
UNIT 1
1. Who am I
2. The physical me - how my body influences who I am
3. My personality - how my characteristics influence who I am
4. The social me - how my physical environment influences who I am
5. The social me - how the people around me influence who I am (including peer pressure)
UNIT 2
6. Similarities and differences
7. Diversity - what is it
8. Diversity - appreciating and embracing
UNIT 3
9. Stereotypes
10. Discrimination
Review
Each lesson is presented through colorful and stimulating PowerPoint presentations, with clearly defined Learning Objectives, and is accompanied with worksheets and videos.
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and a BIG BIG thanks for looking (as a full time practicing teacher, I KNOW how time consuming this process can be).
ALL my postings are FULLY "classroom-tested" - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximize their effectiveness.
But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.
*** NEW FOR SCRATCH V3***
In my series of Scratch projects, students are encouraged to learn through doing - creating projects that encourage learning.
In this NEW series of lessons for the latest Scratch 3, I provide a more structured approach, looking in detail at Scratch programming tools. Each tool is explored through simple projects, and students then go on to further explore using guided project worksheets.
What is Scratch v3
Events and Triggers
Controls
Motion and the Stage
Data Variables
Operators - number
Operators - text
Debugging
The lessons comprise:
a fully animated PowerPoint with explanatory slides, together with the project instructions
a Word document with the PowerPoint project instruction slides printed 2 to a page as a handout for students to follow
accompanying fully-working Scratch project files for students and teachers
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and a BIG BIG thanks for looking (as a full time practising teacher, I KNOW how time consuming this process can be).
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested” - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximise their effectiveness.
But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.
Teacher/Author: Barrie James
Search words: scratch, computer, programming, coding, algorithm, debugging
**UPDATED for Scratch version 3 **
Click here for a full listing of all my Scratch Projects
In this project, the player must move a sprite through the maze using the keyboard. Timers, obstacles (floating sprites) and a more difficult maze can be added as enhancements .
There are many sites offering Scratch Projects. However, many tend to be like recipes - students almost mechanically enter code and create “delicious cakes”, without learning a lot about Scratch.
My goal is to get students to create a fun project, and at the same time learn how the instructions work and fit together. I use the following approach:
- break the project into manageable chunks
- present “pseudo-code” for each chunk
- provide the Scratch commands to implement the pseudo-code, but jumbled up
In this way, students learn about pseudo-code (an important part of coding), and have to understand the Scratch instructions in order to sequence them correctly to match the pseudo-code.
The lessons comprise:
1. a PowerPoint with instructions
2. a Word document with the instruction slides printed 2 to a page as a handout
3. accompanying Scratch files for teachers that match each stage of the project
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested”, and continually updated. But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so please provide constructive feedback.
A pixel is generally thought of as the smallest single component of a digital image. (wikipedia)
Using technology to create art has become extremely common and popular (and also, financially lucrative!). Furthermore, students love designing and creating sprites and animated GIFs.
This series of 4 one-hour lessons looks at
digital images - bitmaps and vector graphics
using the piskel web app to create sprites
using the piskel web app to create animated GIFs
I have used it very successfully with students in grades 4 through to 8 (with slight modifications), and all have absolutely loved the topic.
The lessons comprise:
a fully animated PowerPoint with explanatory slides, together with embedded videos (to extract, click here)
worksheets, ideas and self-evaluation documents
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and a BIG BIG thanks for looking (as a full time practising teacher, I KNOW how time consuming this process can be).
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested” - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximise their effectiveness.
But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.
I introduce students to programming through Scratch, and then extend this into the world of coding through Python. The lessons use Trinket as a simple interface for entering and running Python 2 and Python 3 code - no downloads required.
This series of 5 one-hour lessons for absolute beginners looks at
what is Python
using strings and performing maths operations
functions, variables, loops and comparative operators
creating a Magic 8 Ball game in Python using user input
exploring if statements and adapting the game to SenseHat
Each lesson comprises:
a fully animated PowerPoint with explanatory slides
embedded videos
worksheets and self-evaluation files
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and a BIG BIG thanks for looking (as a full time practising teacher, I KNOW how time consuming this process can be).
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested” - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximise their effectiveness.
But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.
Teacher/Author: Barrie James
Search words: computer coding programming Babbage Lovelace function loop variable
The ever expanding CodeClub first promoted Scratch, and I loved it – creating and successfully delivering a range of lessons for Junior students.
Code Club is now promoting Blender and I think I love it even more!
I’ve created and delivered a series of lessons for Junior students this year, and the response was overwhelming. Students loved learning about 3D graphics and went on to produce some amazing creations of their own. While I thought it might be too advanced, students as young as 8 have grasped and loved using it.
3D GRAPHICS REALLY IS A USEFUL SKILL FOR THE DIGITAL FUTURE.
The lessons assume absolutely no knowledge and build up in a gradual way
Lessons 1-2 (FREE)
What is Blender
The Blender interface
Navigating the 3D view port
Lessons 3-5
Transforming objects
Creating, selecting and duplicating objects
Project: create a snowman
Lessons 6-9
Rendering, colours and lighting
Editing objects
Project: create a donut
Lessons 10-13
3D Text
Box modelling - extruding, loop cuts, insets, bevels
Project: create a Treasure Chest
Lessons 14-15
Animations using Timeframes
Animations using Rigid Bodies
Each lesson is delivered via an animated PowerPoint with an accompanying Workbook, and follows a similar format:
A short video to inspire (embedded in the PowerPoint)
Explanations about any new concepts and skills
A demo of what will be covered (Blender demo files included)
Working together trying out these new concepts and skills (Workbook and Blender exercise files are provided)
Free exploration
A project bringing it all together (a finished Blender file is provided)
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and a BIG BIG thanks for looking (as a full time practicing teacher, I KNOW how time consuming this process can be).
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested” - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximise their effectiveness.
But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.
There are many sites offering Scratch Projects. However, many tend to be like recipes - students almost mechanically enter code and create “delicious cakes”, without learning a lot about Scratch.
My goal is to get students to create a fun project, and at the same time learn how the instructions work and fit together. I use the following approach:
- break the project into manageable chunks
- present “pseudo-code” for each chunk
- provide the Scratch commands to implement the pseudo-code, but jumbled up
In this way, students learn about pseudo-code (an important part of coding), and have to understand the Scratch instructions in order to sequence them correctly to match the pseudo-code.
The lessons comprise:
1. a PowerPoint with instructions
2. a Word document with the instruction slides printed 2 to a page as a handout
3. accompanying Scratch files for teachers that match each stage of the project
Lessons in the series:
FREE introduction to Scratch.
Moving a sprite through a maze.
A question and answer type quiz.
A game where students move a sight with the mouse to shoot ghosts.
A Music Player with layers of menus.
Simulates a toy bear with touch pads.
Drawing shapes and repeating patterns.
Alien spacecraft attack a base that must be defended.
An Octopus must swim through walls of hungry sharks.
Navigate through different worlds
Bundle I-III
Bundle IV-VI
Bundle VII-IX
Bundle I-IX
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested”, and continually updated. But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so please provide constructive feedback.
FREE INTRODUCTION - this is the first of 10 lessons
We all ask and expect our students to learn things, and this requires MEMORY.
Memory IS learning. Without memory, there can be no learning.
BUT - do we ever give our students an understanding of what memory is, and more importantly, strategies for improving their memory?
“Learn your multiplication tables”… sure, but HOW?
This series of 10 lessons is designed with this in mind.
Session 1: Introduction to memory
Session 2: Types of memory - short and long term memory
Session 3: Strategies 1 - linking and stories
Session 4: Strategies 2 - mnemonics
Session 5: Strategies 3 - names and faces
Session 6: Strategies 4 - lists
Session 7: Strategies 5 - numbers
Session 8: Strategies 6 - using routes and locations
Session 9: Strategies 7 - misc.
Session 10: Memory IS us - the consequences of losing memory
Each session comprises:
a fully animated, stimulating PowerPoint
loads of embedded videos (can be extracted if required)
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and a BIG BIG thanks for looking (as a full time practising teacher, I KNOW how time consuming this process can be).
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested” - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximise their effectiveness.
But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.
Teacher/Author: Barrie James
Search words: games, challenge, memory, strategies, brain, numbers, linking, mnemonic, neuron**
ALL Fully Updated 2020
The entire series of lessons on Micro-organisms provides enough material for over 10 one-hour lessons, but you can be selective. (bundle available here)
The series covers:
Introduction to Micro-organisms
The Microscope and Microscope Art
Bacteria, The Immune System and Antibiotics
Viruses, Vaccines and Virus Art
Fungi & Fungi Art
Additional misc. activities
The 5-star rated lessons have proven extremely popular with both teachers and students and comprise:
self-contained PowerPoint lessons packed with thought provoking material
lots of embedded videos (if you need to detach the videos, see here)
Worksheets (with answers) in Word providing individual and class activities.
Note that there is no Preview File to download.
Instead, Session 1 (Introduction) is at a DISCOUNTED PRICE to give you a feel for the material - you won’t be disappointed.
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and a BIG BIG thanks for looking (as a full time practicing teacher, I KNOW how time consuming this process can be).
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested” - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximize their effectiveness.
But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.
Teacher/Author: Barrie James
Search words: quarantine, vaccinate, pasteurisation, germ, antibiotic, inoculate, immune, yeast, immunize, pathogen, inhalation, microbe, virus, bacteria, fungus, organism, disease, microscope, electron, contaminate, epidemic, pandemic, electron, light, metric, lens, convex, concave, optical, symbiotic, exponential, infectious, infect, antiseptic, plaque, toxin, toxic, compost, mucus membrane, quarantine, vaccinate, pasteurization, germ, antibiotic, inoculate, immune, yeast, immunize, pathogen, inhale, habitat, spore, parasite, mushroom, toadstool, species, volva, gills, mycelium, disperse, mould, mildew
This complete topic comprises 7 by 1-hour lessons, broken down into two parts
Part 1 - The fascinating History of Numbers
tally marks, Sumerians & Babylonians
Egyptians and Romans
Mayans and Hindu
Part 2 - Binary numbers
the binary number system - how it evolved and how it works
how computers use binary numbers, looking at text and images
Each lesson comprises:
a fully animated PowerPoint with explanatory slides
loads of embedded videos (to extract, click here)
worksheets and self-evaluation documents
I have used it very successfully with students in years 5 through to 7 (with slight modifications), and all have absolutely loved the topic.
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and a BIG BIG thanks for looking (as a full time practising teacher, I KNOW how time consuming this process can be).
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested” - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximise their effectiveness.
But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.
Teacher/Author: Barrie James
Search words: numbers, binary, ascii, bitmap, transistor, computer, programming, coding, algorithm, digital, image
ALL Fully Updated 2020
The entire series of lessons on Micro-organisms provides enough material for over 10 one-hour lessons, but you can be selective. (bundle available here)
The series covers:
Introduction to Micro-organisms
The Microscope and Microscope Art
Bacteria, The Immune System and Antibiotics
Viruses, Vaccines and Virus Art
Fungi & Fungi Art
Additional misc. activities
The 5-star rated lessons have proven extremely popular with both teachers and students and comprise:
self-contained PowerPoint lessons packed with thought provoking material
lots of embedded videos (if you need to detach the videos, see here)
Worksheets (with answers) in Word providing individual and class activities.
Note that there is no Preview File to download.
Instead, Session 1 (Introduction) is at a DISCOUNTED PRICE to give you a feel for the material - you won’t be disappointed.
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and a BIG BIG thanks for looking (as a full time practicing teacher, I KNOW how time consuming this process can be).
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested” - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximize their effectiveness.
But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.
Teacher/Author: Barrie James
Search words: quarantine, vaccinate, pasteurisation, germ, antibiotic, inoculate, immune, yeast, immunize, pathogen, inhalation, microbe, virus, bacteria, fungus, organism, disease, microscope, electron, contaminate, epidemic, pandemic, electron, light, metric, lens, convex, concave, optical, symbiotic, exponential, infectious, infect, antiseptic, plaque, toxin, toxic, compost, mucus membrane, quarantine, vaccinate, pasteurization, germ, antibiotic, inoculate, immune, yeast, immunize, pathogen, inhale, habitat, spore, parasite, mushroom, toadstool, species, volva, gills, mycelium, disperse, mould, mildew
ALL Fully Updated 2020
The entire series of lessons on Micro-organisms provides enough material for over 10 one-hour lessons, but you can be selective. (bundle available here)
The series covers:
Introduction to Micro-organisms
The Microscope and Microscope Art
Bacteria, The Immune System and Antibiotics
Viruses, Vaccines and Virus Art
Fungi & Fungi Art
Additional misc. activities
The 5-star rated lessons have proven extremely popular with both teachers and students and comprise:
self-contained PowerPoint lessons packed with thought provoking material
lots of embedded videos (if you need to detach the videos, see here)
Worksheets (with answers) in Word providing individual and class activities.
Note that there is no Preview File to download.
Instead, Session 1 (Introduction) is at a DISCOUNTED PRICE to give you a feel for the material - you won’t be disappointed.
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and a BIG BIG thanks for looking (as a full time practicing teacher, I KNOW how time consuming this process can be).
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested” - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximize their effectiveness.
But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.
Teacher/Author: Barrie James
Search words: quarantine, vaccinate, pasteurisation, germ, antibiotic, inoculate, immune, yeast, immunize, pathogen, inhalation, microbe, virus, bacteria, fungus, organism, disease, microscope, electron, contaminate, epidemic, pandemic, electron, light, metric, lens, convex, concave, optical, symbiotic, exponential, infectious, infect, antiseptic, plaque, toxin, toxic, compost, mucus membrane, quarantine, vaccinate, pasteurization, germ, antibiotic, inoculate, immune, yeast, immunize, pathogen, inhale, habitat, spore, parasite, mushroom, toadstool, species, volva, gills, mycelium, disperse, mould, mildew
This is Part 2 only.
This complete topic comprises 7 by 1-hour lessons, broken down into two parts
Part 1 - The fascinating History of Numbers
tally marks, Sumerians & Babylonians
Egyptians and Romans
Mayans and Hindu
Part 2 - Binary numbers
the binary number system - how it evolved and how it works
how computers use binary numbers, looking at text and images
Each lesson comprises:
a fully animated PowerPoint with explanatory slides
loads of embedded videos (to extract, click here)
worksheets and self-evaluation documents
I have used it very successfully with students in years 5 through to 7 (with slight modifications), and all have absolutely loved the topic.
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and a BIG BIG thanks for looking (as a full time practising teacher, I KNOW how time consuming this process can be).
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested” - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximise their effectiveness.
But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.
Teacher/Author: Barrie James
Search words: numbers, binary, ascii, bitmap, transistor, computer, programming, coding, algorithm, digital, image
The Scratch 3 version is here.
Click here for a full listing of all my Scratch Projects
In this project, based on Flappy Birds, the player has to navigate an octopus through waves of hungry sharks.
There are many sites offering Scratch Projects. However, many tend to be like recipes - students almost mechanically enter code and create “delicious cakes”, without learning a lot about Scratch.
My goal is to get students to create a fun project, and at the same time learn how the instructions work and fit together. I use the following approach:
- break the project into manageable chunks
- present “pseudo-code” for each chunk
- provide the Scratch commands to implement the pseudo-code, but jumbled up
In this way, students learn about pseudo-code (an important part of coding), and have to understand the Scratch instructions in order to sequence them correctly to match the pseudo-code.
The lessons comprise:
1. a PowerPoint with instructions
2. a Word document with the instruction slides printed 2 to a page as a handout
3. accompanying Scratch files for teachers that match each stage of the project
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested”, and continually updated. But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so please provide constructive feedback.
Machine Learning and AI are terms we all hear a lot about every day. They affect our lives profoundly and yet, we know so little about either. Producing this presentation in what I hope is an easy to understand form, was hugely challenging and immensely rewarding, and I hope it can benefit you and your students.
We all need at least a basic understanding of what is happening in the world of AI.
This lesson for absolute beginners looks at
what is intelligence (easy start!!)
what is machine learning
how AI is related to machine learning
the ethical concerns of bias
The lesson comprises:
a fully animated PowerPoint with explanatory slides
inspiring embedded videos (if you need to extract, click here)
Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions, and a BIG BIG thanks for looking (as a full time practising teacher, I KNOW how time consuming this process can be).
ALL my postings are FULLY “classroom-tested” - before I publish, my lessons are tested by both myself and colleagues, rigorously evaluated and discussed, and continually updated to maximise their effectiveness.
But there is always the possibility of error and room for improvement, so do please provide constructive feedback.